Automatic twine wrapping apparatus

Abstract

In a crop roll forming machine having cooperating upper and lower bale forming means there is provided an improved automatic twine wrapping mechanism for binding a completed crop roll with binding material. The automatic twine wrapping mechanism is triggered by one of either two trip devices to automatically effect the serial steps of the twine wrapping cycle.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for forming large cylindrical bales of crop material, which comprises: (a) a mobile frame having generally upwardly extending side supports;   (b) a bale forming region within the side supports and the frame;   (c) pickup means mounted to the frame to gather crop material from the ground and direct it towards the bale forming region;   (d) bale forming means mounted on the frame having an upper bale forming means and a lower bale forming means, the upper bale forming means further having a pivotable support arm fastened to the frame;   (e) wrapping means mounted to the frame for binding the bale of crop material with a binding material;   (f) drive means mounted to the frame connected to the bale forming means and the wrapping means;   (g) control means for the wrapping means so that once the wrapping means is activated the binding of the bale will automatically be carried to its completion and the wrapping means will be reset and prepared for activation to commence binding another bale;   (h) triggering means mounted to the frame being selectively actuatable to activate the wrapping means when a desired bale size is obtained;   (i) a first trip mechanism having a selectively extensible projection affixed to the pivotable support arm mounted to the frame on which is supported the upper bale forming means so that the support arm is rotated generally downwardly in an arcuate path as the bale is formed until the bale reaches a predetermined size which causes the extensible projection to engage the triggering means which automatically activates the wrapping means; and   (i) a second trip mechanism having a manually activated lever connected to the triggering means which initiates the automatic operation of the wrapping means to bind bales of varying desired sizes upon activation.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the extensible projection further comprises an adjustment means and a connected pivotable side plate such that varying the position of the adjustment means causes the side plate to be pivoted so that the triggering means can be variably engaged at different times during bale formation as the support arm is rotated in its arcuate path to thereby automatically activate the wrapping means to bind bales of varying predetermined desired sizes. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the triggering means further comprises a pivotable latch, a releasable stop arm and a movable roller arm, both of the arms being attached to biasing means which tend to direct the stop arm and the roller arm generally toward the bale forming region when the stop arm and the roller arm are not subject to counteracting forces, the stop arm and the roller arm further connecting the triggering means with the control means and the wrapping means to automatically permit the transfer of power from the drive means through the control means to activate the wrapping means. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the drive means connectable to the wrapping means comprises a rotatably driven shaft supported on the frame, a clutch for connecting the driven shaft to the control means, means for controlling the engagement of the clutch comprising a biased pivotable pawl radially extending from the clutch which strikes the stop arm when the clutch is disengaged, gear means for transferring rotary power from the driven shaft through a rotatable control shaft to the control means and the wrapping means, a bale size indicator that upon activation of the wrapping means transmits a visible signal that the baling apparatus should be halted until wrapping is completed, and a clutch tensioning means to keep the clutch disengaged until the wrapping means is activated. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control means comprises a curvilinear cam plate movable about the rotatable control shaft, a pivotable trigger plate that is activated by the roller arm to pivotably disengage from the stop arm thereby releasing the stop arm to respond to its spring biasing and permit the clutch to disengage, and a drive link with a roller cam follower that will drive the wrapping means generally horizontally across the bale forming region at a speed that is responsive to the curved surface of the cam plate. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the wrapping means comprises twine dispensing means movable at a twine dispensing end to feed out twine generally horizontally across the bale forming region and cutting means automatically activated to sever the twine after the bale has been wrapped. 
     
     
       7. In a crop roll forming machine of the type having bale forming means movably mounted on a mobile frame, a bale forming region, a drive means, an automatic wrapping means to bind a formed roll with a binding material, triggering means, a first trip mechanism having a selectively extensible projection affixed to a pivotable support arm mounted to the frame on which is supported the bale forming means so that the support arm is rotated generally downwardly in an arcuate path as the bale is formed until the bale reaches a predetermined size which causes the extensible projection to engage, the triggering means which activates the wrapping means, and a second trip mechanism having a manually activated lever connected to the triggering means which initiates the automatic operation of the wrapping means to bind bales of varying desired sizes, and a control means for the automatic wrapping means, the improvement comprising: triggering means selectively actuatable by either one of the trip mechanisms to activate the wrapping means when a desired bale size is obtained, the triggering means further including a pivotable latch, a releasable stop arm and a movable roller arm, both of the arms being attached to biasing means which tend to direct the stop arm and the roller arm generally toward the bale forming region when the stop arm and the roller arm are not subject to counteracting forces, the stop arm and the roller arm further connecting the triggering means with the control means and the wrapping means to automatically permit the transfer of power from the drive means through the control means to activate the wrapping means.   
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the extensible projection further comprises an adjustment means and a connected pivotable side plate such that varying the position of the adjustment means causes the side plate to be pivoted so that the triggering means can be variably engaged at different times during bale formation as the suppot arm is rotated in its arcuate path to thereby automatically activate the wrapping means to bind bales of varying predetermined desired sizes. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the drive means connectable to the wrapping means comprises a rotatably driven shaft supported on the frame, a clutch for connecting the driven shaft to the control means, means for controlling the engagement of the clutch comprising a biased pivotable pawl radially extending from the clutch which strikes the stop arm when the clutch is disengaged, gear means for transferring rotary power from the driven shaft through a rotatable control shaft to the control means and the wrapping means, a bale size indicator that upon activation of the wrapping means transmits a visible signal that the crop roll forming machine should be halted until wrapping is completed, and a clutch tensioning means to keep the clutch disengaged until the wrapping means is activated. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control means comprises a curvilinear cam plate movable about the rotatable control shaft, a pivotable trigger plate that is activated by the roller arm to pivotably disengage from the stop arm thereby releasing the stop arm to respond to its spring biasing and permit the clutch to disengage, and a drive link with a roller cam follower that will drive the wrapping means generally horizontally across the bale forming region at a speed that is responsive to the curved surface of the cam plate. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the wrapping means comprises twine dispensing means movable at a twine dispensing end to feed out twine generally horizontally across the bale forming region and cutting means automatically activated to sever the twine after the bale has been wrapped.